Faded Memories
by 93BNMill
Summary: He was the winter and the wind, a force of nature in disguise. For years, he has been on his own. When he saves a child from death, his life takes a drastic turn as he, and his canine Loki, are forced to flee from forces of the Dark. When the Lord of Darkness wants something done, nothing will stand in his way - not magic, not fate, not death, and certainly not the Lord of Light.
1. Chapter 1

**Faded Memories**

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Author's Note

For those who follow me and my odd ramblings, then many of you are likely staring at this notice of mine and thinking: _'what the hell is she doing!'_

I can't blame you for that. I'm wondering that myself, honestly, but the truth of this is simple: I watched _'Rise of the Guardians'_ and I've been reading _'Harry Potter'_ and the two collided in a dream of mine. This first chapter is the result of my mind having a 'what if' moment. This chapter is a dream written down, a chapter which centers on _'Harry Potter'_ with some of the elements and history from _'ROTG'_ thrown in. It is something I have never thought about until now, something that is intriguing and also dark and bitter. Frankly, I only have a small idea of _what_ this story _could_ be. I'm not entirely sure if I'll continue, though I'll let you all decide that once you read it.

Before jumping into the chaos of the chapter, here's a working description:

 _The first, and only, clear memory he had was of the moon and the name whispered to him upon a cold, winter breeze. He was Hadrian White, ancient yet young. He was the winter and the wind, the earth frozen and the flames iced and silver. He was mischief incarnate. For longer than Hadrian could determine, he had wandered the world. He has raced upon the winds, flown over the ocean, and brought smiles and laughter to those who couldn't see him. He ran through the forests, a grim running at his side. He has danced, naked, with the Wind as his partner. He was nothing more than a ghost, but one that was free to do as it pleased._

 _When traveling through the forests of magical Europe, Hadrian White's life takes a drastic turn when he saves a young boy from a certain death. The shock, however, is that they can see him. Hadrian, at a loss, tags along with these people and soon finds himself caught in the tides of a war between the Lords of Darkness and Light. As the battle rages on, Hadrian finds himself the center of both their attention. To remain free, Hadrian must learn to harness his powers and uncover the truth surrounding his own fragmented history and history of a war threatening to consume him whole._

 _With both sides trying to capture him, Hadrian knows he must make a choice:_

 _Become The Light, Lured By The Whisper Of The Silver Shrines,_

 _Become The Darkness, Entrapped By The Blackened Divines,_

 _Become The Dreamer, Holder Of The Immortal Designs._

Like I said, I have a _vague_ idea when it comes to this story - should it _actually_ turn into a story and not just some snippet of a story that's whirling around the inside of my head. It took me many days to write the chapter below due to the nature of Harry's character (who goes by _Hadrian_ in this story) and those he interacts with. I wrote this becaues the chapter itself would not let me doing anything other than write it. And, from my own knowing, I haven't read _anything_ like this before. I'm not sure if I'll continue (this might not be all that popular and I do have other stories on here), but I couldn't ignore this chapter. I couldn't ignore the dream which inspired _this_ chapter. I'm not even sure if this lengthy section is actually _good_ , you know? I only know that I had to write it.

I wanted to share it with all of you because it brought me so much _joy_ to write.

With that said: Read, Enjoy, And _Review!_

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 **Chapter One**

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Hadrian's first, clear memory was of the moon, glowing silver and immensely, _colossally_ enchanting.

He couldn't remember anything else, save for a name that was a ghostly whisper drifting on the cold tides of a winter wind: _Hadrian White_. He wasn't sure if the _'white'_ part was due to his skin, a ghostly silver like that of pure snow, or his hair, black at the roots that faded to a deep gray and then to silver at the tips. It was a question he sometimes asked himself when he was alone and resting, the world alive yet sleeping.

In the deepest hours of the night, Hadrian traveled. He leapt from tree to tree, his body light as a feather as he soared impossible distances. Verdant irises observed his surroundings, the teen keeping his eye open for any sign of activity. When he spotted a massive dog bounding through the bushes far below, Hadrian landed on an old, sturdy branch. Well over a hundred feet up, Hadrian could only grin as he watched the massive, black hound sniff the ground. When its head snapped up, emerald irises clashing with silver (and the teen noted that, from even this distance, he could see that the canine's sclera was a deep, blood _red_ instead of white).

The hound's long, thick tail snapped through the air. _'Once more, in the dark of the night, I find myself hunted by you, Winter Wight.'_

Hadrian jumped out of his tree, plummeting earthbound. As he neared the ground, a strong breeze howled through the trees and wrapped around him. Hadrian landed, light on his feet, before the massive canine that towered over his slighter form. He reached up, pale hand brushing against the side of this canine's snout, as he murmured, "Don't be cruel, Loki. We do this _every_ night."

The hound, Loki, rumbled with laughter before it nudged his cheek with a cold nose. _'If I do not amuse you, Hadrian, then the hapless mortals sleeping under the stars will be confronted with a cold, snowy morning in the middle of summer.'_

Hadrian grinned. "Good thing they have you looking after them, no?"

Loki snorted, silver eyes gleaming with amusement. Hadrian turned, his gaze sweeping across the forest around them. "Where are we at, anyway?"

 _'You weren't paying attention?'_

"Do I ever?" Hadrian leveled a look on his canine companion, trying valiantly to not grin. Silver eyes stared him down, devoid of any emotion save for what Hadrian dubbed 'impatience.' He rocked back on his heels, now grinning widely as vines of ice curled and twisted across the ground. "Zephera was in a playful mood, Loki. I couldn't be _bothered_ to pay attention, not when she wanted us here. Why, though? What's so great about _this_ forest compared to the others we've been in?"

Loki didn't grace his questions with an answer. Hadrian sighed. He pushed off the ground, a gentle wind curling around his body as he sat, cross-legged, in the air. He was level with Loki, still, but Hadrian's mind was elsewhere. Even as the hound eyed him, the teen eyed his blackened nails and fingers. His brow furrowed, the silver tips of his hair tickling the sides of his neck.

He wasn't sure where he was, let alone the continent Zephera had dragged them to. Yellowstone Park had been a nice change of scenery, the ground rolling with power. He could feel the heat under his bare feet even now, when he was likely _hundreds_ of miles away from the National Park. Reclining, stretching his back with the wind cushioning his body, Hadrian mused aloud, "I don't think we're in America anymore, Loki."

 _'We're not,'_ Hadrian's gaze shifted to the hound as he rolled onto his stomach, arms folded under his chin in a position that betrayed the fact he _wasn't_ on a hard surface. Loki snorted, hot steam billowing out of his nostrils as he continued, _'I ran the length of the ocean, Hadrian. We left the Americas not long after the moon reached its peak.'_

If they weren't in North America, and they crossed the ocean, then they were… _where_ exactly?

Hadrian asked that question. Loki closed his eyes. _'I believe we are in Europe or near it, perhaps on one of the small islands bordering it.'_

"Like England or Ireland? Or _Poland!"_ Hadrian sat upright, landing on a tree branch within seconds. He was grinning again, verdant eyes impossibly bright as he leaped and jumped through the trees with an echoing, infectious laugh. He twirled in midair, eyes on the hound as he said, "We should get going, Loki!"

 _'Going where?'_

"Anywhere!" Hadrian launched himself out of the tree, easily landing in another on the other side of the clearing. Below, Loki was lopping through the tall grass with the grace of a woodland grazer. The two sped through the forest, streaks of color that danced and wove between the trees. A veil of ice and dark, inky fog followed in their wake, twisting and curling like fine sculptures of died ice. "Maybe we can go to the city? I haven't been to a city in a while."

 _'For good reason,'_ Loki leaped over a fallen tree, soundless and as agile as a ghost. Hadrian held his silence, knowing Loki had yet to finish his thought as they leaped over the lip of a cliff to lower ground. After a moment, Loki finally said, _'You tend to get depressed after being amongst humans for extended periods of time. Never do those trips end with a good fortune.'_

Hadrian scowled. "Then I won't stay for _extended_ periods of time!"

 _'They can't see you,'_ Hadrian came to an abrupt halt on a branch. His fingers bit into the bark as Loki landed, quiet and weightless, beneath his tree. A silver gaze floating in a sea of blood turned to him, the canine below settling on his haunches as Hadrian whispered, _"No one_ can see me, Loki. Only you."

Hadrian was used to it, though. Having spent years being bypassed, of having people _walk_ through him, was enough of a reminder that he was nothing more than a ghost. He tried to tell himself that having _only_ Loki see him wasn't too bad, that he preferred it that way. He couldn't get into trouble with his mischief if no one knew where the culprit was. His chest ached regardless.

He turned his gaze towards the sky as he said, "Zephera, where's my staff?"

The Wind's answer was to have the staff hurtling out of the sky right at him. Hadrian reached up, fingers curling around the blackened, ancient wood with a hum of approval. The Shepard's crook, complete with the diamond blade slicing halfway through the metal crook resonated with latent power. Harry spun it and pressed the blade against the ground, twirling and etching designs into the hard, grassy earth as Loki watched with what Hadrian _thought_ was a bemused stare.

Hadrian hopped back, watching as ice filled the gouges in the earth with leaflike designs. Twisting and spiraling, the cold, silver-blue power spread. The teen twirled, staff resting on his shoulders with both hands hanging on, and set his gaze on Loki as he said, "What? Can't I have a bit of fun?"

 _'Do not blame me when people start another hunt for ghosts, Hadrian,'_ Loki flicked his tail, the bushy tendrils passing under Hadrian's nose. The teen sneezed and glowered. He followed the massive canine as the wind picked up, tugging at the loose hoodie Hadrian wore. He let Zephera turn him about, half-aware of Loki as the hound said, _'The scent down in that valley is heavy with sickness. I would not advise going down there.'_

Hadrian opted to ignore Loki in favor of letting Zephera lift him off the ground. He spiraled downwards, bypassing the rocky climb for a cleaner approach. He landed on his feet, thanking her in a hushed whisper, as the black hound landed next to him. The teen shot a look at the hound as he shook his massive body, black fur rustling and smoke-like in the gloom that settled in this part of the forest.

As they traveled further, Hadrian picked up a faint scent that had his stomach churning. Loki pressed forward, pushing the smaller of the two behind his massive body as he growled, _'Stay behind me. If there is danger ahead, I will take their souls before they are able to do you any harm.'_

Hadrian ran a hand down Loki's flank. "Thanks, Loki."

The wind churned and howled, the leaves scattering and twirling through the air. Yet he noticed Zephera's winds did not go far. Something ahead had her unnerved, Hadrian realized. Easing behind Loki more than he had been before, Hadrian murmured, "There's something ahead, Loki. Zephera is on edge."

Deep, rumbling growls was the only answer he received. He watched as Loki's fur stood on edge, how the tail rose up and straightened. He saw the claws protrude from heavy paws and how the ground split with every step the hound took, the crimson in Loki's eyes glowing in the darkness as the silver and pupil were overrun by the bloody, hellish glow.

Hadrian delicately sniffed the air. Iron coated the winds. "There's blood, Loki…"

 _'I am aware,'_ Loki bounded over another fallen tree, this one splintered and broken as if some great force had slammed into it. Hadrian leaped over it, gliding through the air for a moment before landing, soundlessly, on the ground on the other side. _'The air is thick with the scent of illness and death. Stay behind me. Make no sound.'_

Hadrian didn't need to be told twice – while he knew he was fast, that he was quick as the wind that adored him, Hadrian knew that what he lacked was physical strength. Battle was not something he would ever step into, not willingly and not without great caution. If there was some form of conflict ahead, he knew his best bet was to let Loki deal with the source while Hadrian, himself, dealt with the inflicted.

It was an unspoken agreement, one that Zephera agreed with.

Hadrian and Loki sped through the forest, the two of them gliding through the air. Zephera guided them, cold winds pulling and pushing them in the direction they needed to go. Hadrian noted the urgency in which she propelled them, felt her panic as if it was his own. Felt her fear, so deep and primal that the heavens seemed to scream and shout as thunder boomed in the distance.

Neither teen or beast doubted that whatever had ensnared the Wind's attention was anything less than dire. They did not speak as they spiraled through the sky. They did not fight nor resist the gales of air that hauled them through the sky. Hadrian bounded and twirled, alighting on branches and pushing off of fallen debris with the ease of a forest-born creature.

He did slow until the woods started to crackle and burn. He landed in a clearing, his eyes wide as Loki circled the area with his nose to the ground. Dead bodies littered the earth, bodies broken and smoldering in the darkness. Hadrian pressed a clothed arm over his nose and mouth, eyes stinging from the heat and from the sudden, unbearable pain cutting through his body.

 _'There's a trail over here,'_ Hadrian moved to where Loki stood, his gaze on the darkness of the forest and then on the weak, uneven trail cutting through the grass. He eyed the wolfen hound with a sense of unease before the wind shoved him in the back. Loki bounded forward, tracking the marks on the ground as Hadrian ran behind him. _'There is life in the darkness ahead. Be wary. I smell others in the area, their air thick and polluted with death. Stay close.'_

Hadrian stayed as close as possible. His side brushed against Loki's as they made their way deeper into the forest. The camp that they had found, and all the bodies within, was left behind in a rush of wind and magic and branching ice. Hadrian let his hand brush Loki's side as they leaped through a tree cut in two, the inside of the ancient wood brushing his shoulders as he darted through.

Loki galloped ahead, Hadrian on his heel. When he stopped, Hadrian's eyes widened.

It was another clearing, much like the last, only smaller. Hadrian stepped past the hound, unable to believe how the breathing form in the center of the place was alive. As he crept closer, soul heavy with pain, he could not ignore the Wind's insistent push. He stopped only when he had a clear view of the damage.

A woman was lying in a pool of blood, light brown hair spread around her like a halo. The tips were pink and red, the blood soaking into the ends. As Hadrian stepped closer, he noticed she had a small bundle cradled in hers. A bundle that was shuddering, muffled cries warbling through the air. Hadrian's heart hurt at the sight as he paused next to the two, his verdant gaze widening in horror.

The woman shifted, her head turning just so that, when she opened her eyes, she was able to stare up at him. Hadrian watched as she blinked, knowing she was seeing through him. Dark eyes blinked slowly, her lips parting. She let out a bloody exhale before she whispered, "What are you doing here, little boy? This isn't a place for a boy to be."

"Y…you can _see_ me?" Hadrian crouched in front of her, his eyes impossibly wide. Loki paced behind him. It seemed the woman just noticed the massive canine; her eyes were suddenly large and terrified, and, despite her injury, she tried to scoot away while also clutching the small form closer to her body. Hadrian shot a look at Loki before looking back to her, his voice soft and kind as he said, "You don't need to be afraid, miss. What happened to you?"

In the distance, shouting cut the silence. The woman chocked on a sob. "Take him, please take him!"

She had sat up, then. She was pushing the bundle into his arms, her entire body shaking as she whispered in frantic, terrified murmurs, "Take my son. Take him and run, before they get here. Take him!"

Hadrian wrapped his arms around the bundle, eyes widening as the coat slid to the side to reveal a small, thin face staring up at him. The woman cried as she said, "His name's Edward Remus Theodore Lupin, but everyone calls him Ted or Teddy. He's six years old. Please, take care of him. _Please!"_

 _'Hadrian, there are men approaching,'_ Hadrian's gaze snapped to Loki and then to the forest behind him where lights were flaring in alarming numbers. His gaze snapped back to the woman as he said, "I don't understand. What's going on? _Who are you?"_

"Tonks," The woman said, then. She offered a bloody smile. She reached up and touched the child's face, and then Hadrian's, as she whispered, "My name's Nymphadora Lupin, but everyone knows by Tonks."

 _'Hadrian!'_ His gaze shifted to Loki a second time as the woman pushed him back. Hadrian was on his feet, then. The little boy, Teddy, twisted in his arms and reached for the dying woman. Loki snarled and snapped at the air as Zephera's winds picked up. Someone was shouting in the distance, and then there were lights springing up around him. Hadrian whipped around to see a group of men, all wearing black cloaks and their faces obscured by silver masks, coming closer. _'We must go, Hadrian. The woman is as good as dead.'_

"Take him and go," Tonks whispered, and Hadrian turned his gaze to her as she said, "Tell him I love him."

As the men came closer, Hadrian closed his eyes. "I will."

He leaped backward as a burst of red light cut through the air. Then he was skybound, his body lifting and whistling through the air. Dozens of shocked cries broke the silence, followed by screams and Loki's mighty roar. Hadrian landed on a branch high above the chaos below, a small boy tucked to his chest as the woman known as Nymphadora Lupin's soul was stolen by Loki's jaws. With another spring of gravity, Hadrian threw himself into Zephera's embrace.

The Wind caught him, hauling him out of the forest and into the sky above.

Below, the forest wept for the innocence that had been stolen so cruelly but callous hands.


	2. Chapter 2

**Faded Memories**

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 **Chapter Two**

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Children were curious creatures. When faced with something they couldn't see, they stared into Death's eyes with unflinching bravery. Young and innocent to the ways of the world, they were beacons of hope and light in a place of unending darkness. They could see a diamond in a mire of filth, could grasp the sands of hope from the dead soil. Yet, when forced to confront the opposite, children became a nightmare.

In a span of a single night, Hadrian realized one key truth:

 _He didn't know how to take care of a child._

It was this that Hadrian White learned as he was forced to deal with a crying, screaming Edward Remus Theodore "Teddy" Lupin. The boy, hair as white as the ice and snow Hadrian adored, was a wailing mess that would not cease to scream at the top of its yellow-eyed lungs. Because of this, Hadrian let the Wind carry them away from anyone who could possibly hear the distressed child's screams.

He didn't want someone seeing Teddy, not when Hadrian himself was invisible. No magically flying kids.

Attracting that kind of attention was the last thing the verdant-eyed teenager wanted. Somewhere far below, Loki ran. If he looked hard enough, Hadrian could see the massive hound's black outline. He could spy the muscled, long body surging and bristling with every leap and bound. He only wished Teddy shared the same awe when looking at the great beast below them.

Hadrian wished the boy would stop screaming, would dry those tears, _and be quiet._

No matter what he did, the boy would only flail and cry and swing thin, bony fists. Hadrian was tempted to drop him, if only to make the child realize _where_ they were. Yet Teddy would not be reasoned with, would not be consoled, and Hadrian, despite how much he wished otherwise, was struggling with the task of calming a terrified, small creature that had needs separate from his own.

 _'Calm the little monster before I eat it, Hadrian,'_ Loki's low growl came from the ground far below, yet his voice carried to him with ease. It echoed and lurked within the depths of his mind. Hadrian adjusted the boy in his arms as he soared through the sky, his body positioned in a meditative pose that allowed him to cage the child in his lap. Teddy didn't like that, either. So, with a sigh, Hadrian held him close with one arm and held out his other hand, palm up, before the child. Brow furrowed in thought, Hadrian formed a moving, animated bunny out of ice and magic and wind. Teddy's cries halted, small sniffles escaping as he watched the bunny bounce around them. Below, Loki's rumbling growl was softer. _'About time…'_

Small hands reached for the iced rabbit and Hadrian watched, smiling, as the creature hopped into Teddy's hands and brushed its cold nose against the child's cheeks. Squealing laughter was the answer he received. Hadrian rested his chin on top of the boy's head, eyes half-mast as he said to the child in his lap, "Do you like bunnies, Teddy?"

"Bunny," Teddy answered, small sniffles escaping as the small, icy silver rabbit bounced around them. It was an interesting sight to see small puffs of ice puff through the air, an action Hadrian knew would have happened if the creature was alive and running through a winter forest. Magical, ice rabbits running through air didn't cause bursts of snow to rise from the ground, but he figured the child would appreciate the thought regardless. Teddy clapped his hands. "Teddy _likes_ bunnies!"

 _'And he speaks in third,'_ Hadrian's gaze swept towards the ground so far below them, to where he knew Loki ran. He spied a black blur leaping a fence to a massive field, the canine nothing more than a deadly shadow that sped between grazing, half-asleep cattle, and sheep. _'Perhaps the human child is touched in the head, Hadrian. Best drop it now before it turns on us.'_

The winter spirit wasn't sure if Loki was joking or not. It was hard to tell, most days.

He watched as the hound leapt another fence, easily covering countless miles up an incline in seconds. It was impressive, really. Hadrian grinned as he watched the hound pick up speed, knowing, in that moment, what Loki was readying himself to do long before Hadrian realized the hill ended with a rather steep drop.

"Look, Teddy!" Hadrian pointed out Loki to the small child, soothing the small boy the moment he started to whimper. He rested his chin on the boy's head, voice soft and cool as he said, "Loki's going to come and fly with us. He's friendly. Ish. He keeps us safe, Teddy. See how he runs? Look, he's getting ready to jump!"

Loki was moving faster, silver eyes narrowed. Then the muscles where bunching, dark swirls of energy curling around the hound that's fur was shifting from black to a deep gray. When Loki pushed off the cliff, the air around his paws turned a vibrant silver that matched his eyes. Hadrian felt Teddy shift in his arms, the boy leaning over his knee to get a better view of the hound bounding through the sky as if launching from invisible platforms on Loki himself could see.

 _'We should head northeast,'_ Loki ran a few laps around him, looking to be part of the ice and wind that Hadrian himself was bound to. Teddy kept turning and twisting in his arms, amber eyes wide and shocked, disbelieving, as he watched the hound. _'The humans from the forest are rising into the sky. They are moving in our direction. Zephera will guide us to safety.'_

"They're following us?" Hadrian looked off into the distance, to where he could see the faint impression of a fire within the vast forest and the black dots rising into the sky. He unfurled his body, hovering in the air as verdant eyes flashed. His eyes narrowed. "Zephera, slow them down. Loki, can you smell a town?"

The hound blinked. _'There is one in the distance. I can smell their smoke and food. It is north of here.'_

Hadrian's gaze swept the sky and he found the North Star twinkling in the heavens. He tucked Teddy close to his shoulder, wrapping the child in his arms as he said, "Teddy, we're gonna have to fly _really_ fast, okay?"

"Fast?"

"Yeah," Hadrian ran a hand down the boy's back. "Hold onto my neck, kay? Don't let go."

Thin arms did as he instructed. They tightened when Hadrian shot forward, sharp winds propelling him forward as an undercurrent hurled through the sky behind him. Zephera's rage was a howl on the wind, fierce and unyielding. Loki bounded ahead of him, a streak of blacks and whites and greys. Hadrian followed without questioning, trusting the hound to lead them to safety.

It didn't take them long to reach the city. Hadrian alighted upon a rooftop, Teddy's cries back. Hadrian tucked the boy onto his hip, his gaze sweeping over the streets below. In the darkness, hardly a soul was out. Loki, perched next to him, swiped the air with his tail. The emerald-eyed teen shot a glance at the beast beside him, an unasked question in his eyes.

 _'The people here smell like those we encountered in the forest,'_ Loki pawed his snout, gaze narrow and distrusting. Hadrian looked towards the sleeping settlement before them, knowing the wolfen hound was right. He had already spied one person hurrying through the street, body wrapped in a dark robe that had long, billowing sleeves and a sash tied around the waist. _'These people have magic, Hadrian. Like the boy and his dead mother. Come, let us fade into the shadows where we will be safe.'_

Hadrian's gaze shifted to the boy in his arms. "I can't, Loki. We need to look after Teddy."

Loki snarled and snapped at the air. _'You have done as the mother asked. Let him be someone else's issue.'_

"No," Hadrian leveled a stern look on the hound, oblivious to the confused look spreading across Teddy's face. The ravenette ran his hand over the snarling wolf's head, fingers grazing behind erect ears as he continued, "Zephera took us to them, took us to Teddy, for a reason. I was meant to have him."

 _'Human whelps are not pets, Hadrian. Leave it here,'_ Loki paced along the roof, then.

"You want me to leave a kid on a roof in a strange village?" Hadrian wasn't sure if he should be horrified or amused by Loki's sudden temper, a knowing smile spreading across his face as said hound's tail snapped through the air. Loki stared him down, silent. Hadrian returned the stare without flinching.

Loki snorted, pawing at the roof for a moment. Hadrian eyed the beast, jaw set. Loki, seeing Hadrian was adamant about his decision, snarled, _'Fine. We won't leave the little beastie on the roof. We'll leave him in the street.'_

Hadrian slapped his hand against his face, shaking his head. "You _know_ what I mean, Loki."

 _'You are not fit to be a sire,'_ Loki snapped, drool easing between too-large fangs. Teddy was looking from teen to canine, confusion written across his face. Hadrian noticed how Teddy's head snapped back to the nightmarish hound as Loki snarled, _'You are far from ready, Hadrian. To rear a pup, yours or someone else's, is a great responsibility. One you are not ready for. Do not be irresponsible.'_

Hadrian pinched the bridge of his nose. "I can't just _leave him_ here, Loki. You know I can't!"

Loki circled him. _'Very well. I will take to the shadows and watch you both from the dark. Do not draw attention to yourself, Hadrian. Find someplace to sleep.'_

With that, Loki vanished from sight. Hadrian adjusted Teddy, who was still confused, as the silence of the night washed over the top of them. Hadrian could feel Loki's attention, could sense the canine but was unable to pinpoint his exact location. A gentle breeze told him Zephera was also near, watching.

"Okay, Teddy – ah, what is it?"

"You talked to the doggie like mommy talked to daddy," Teddy reached up and ran his hands over his face, amber eyes wide and curious. Hadrian blinked, disgruntled by the description. Then, after a moment, his eyes widened in understanding. Hadrian eyed the child as he asked, "Couldn't you understand Loki?"

Teddy shook his head. "He growled and snapped a lot, but no words like ours. You a Dog Whisperer?"

The verdant-eyed, raven-haired teenager laughed. "No, Teddy, I'm not."

"Then what?"

Hadrian blinked at the question, baffled once again. Where children always this curious? Was Teddy the exception? The ravenette ran a hand through his hair, not quite sure what to say in response to that soft, almost-scared question. When he jumped from the roof into the darkness of an alleyway, Hadrian sat the boy on the ground and then rested a hand on his head.

"I'm Hadrian White," the ravenette smiled as Teddy blinked and he knelt in front of the child. "I'm lost, like you, with nowhere to go except where Zephera pulls me."

"Who's Zeph'ra?" Teddy asked.

Hadrian tilted the boy's chin so amber eyes would see the sky. "Zephera is the wind, Teddy. She's my friend."

"You friends with the wind?" The boy seemed excited about that for some reason, though Hadrian wasn't sure why. When he nodded, stating he was, in fact, friends with the wind, Teddy's hair shifted from an off-white to a glowing, happy orange. Then that hair changed again, and Hadrian watched, surprised, as Teddy's face screwed up in concentration as the brightly-colored hair started to mimic Hadrian's own bizarre, messy hairstyle. "Teddy'll be good. 'Adri will see that Teddy's a good boy. Won't stick out."

The boy yawned, then. Hadrian lifted him from the ground, tucking him against his side. They needed a place to rest, a place where Teddy could close his eyes and settle in for a few hours. Hadrian left the dark shadows of the alleyway and made his way into the empty streets of the city. Teddy, though tense in his arms once more, tucked his head against his chest.

 _'There's something going on here,'_ Hadrian eyed their surroundings, a sense of unease crawling through his skin as this realization dawned on him. The child had fought and kicked and screamed until they had reached the city; now that same child was tense but still, quiet as they made their way through the streets. Hadrian looked towards the top of this kid's head. _'What's going on here? Why the change?'_

Hadrian sensed Loki pass them, felt the cold shadows curl around him. Loki said nothing. It took some time, but Hadrian found an inn. He eased his way through the back door, nothing more than a silent shadow that ghosted through the kitchen and up a flight of stairs connected to it. He found himself climbing higher and higher, away from rooms full of sleeping people. In a short time, he found the attic.

Loki was standing in the middle of the room, visible and resigned. There were old blankets scattered across the floor, obviously dragged to make a nest underneath the open window. Hadrian knelt and lowered the half-asleep child into the cocoon of blankets, taking the last to drape over the small body. He combed his fingers through black, grey and white hair, emerald irises glowing in the darkness as the child's body relaxed fully into the embrace of the Lord of Dreams.

When he was sure he was asleep, Hadrian whispered, "What's going on with this place, Loki?"

 _'I know not, Hadrian,'_ Loki circled the nest as much as he was able before settling down to curl around the small child. Hadrian turned, eyes half-closed as a strong wind came hurtling from the sky. He held out his hand, then, with a smile as something small and thin twirled through the sky to come and rest upon his open palm. He heard Loki's pleased rumbled as the small, winged creature stretched her arms over her head, large eyes, like two pools of iridescent energy, blinking happily. _'We are safe for the time being. We need only wait for daylight, now. Then we can resume our endless journey.'_

Zephera, the wind spirit in his hands, settled down to rest her wind-swept hair and head against the soft skin of his lower thumb. Hadrian held the small spirit close to his stomach, happy to see her in person than as a formless, insistent gale of wind.

Once more his attention was drawn to the child and the canine, a smile spreading across his face as he settled down to look after the child throughout the night. Teddy was curled up in the old blankets, thin hands tucked under his cheek. Hadrian sat above him, perched in the window, with his attention shifting to the city beyond. Loki rested on the ground next to the sleeping child, tail lazily sweeping across the floor. Hadrian eyed the two of them with a gentle smile.

 _'It's odd,'_ Being able to talk to a child, to speak to Teddy, was an experience he hadn't had in a long time. He couldn't remember the last time someone had seen him, the last time a living mortal had touched him. _'Is it his magic that allows him to see me? Is that why? Normal humans can't see me, but Teddy can…'_

Hadrian leaned his forehead against the wall, verdant-irises glowing, softly, as he watched the sun begin to rise.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

Chapter two of 'Faded Memories' has ended. Took me forever to write it, really. I wasn't all that sure what I wanted to do with it, yet I also knew I had to do _something_ because I couldn't just leave it be. So this part of the story was born, here and ready for anyone who wants to read it. I don't have all that much to say this time around, so I'll leave this here.

I hope those who read this enjoyed it and, as always, I hope to see what you think!


	3. Chapter 3

**Faded Memories**

* * *

 **Author's Note**

It has been, like, a _year_ since I updated this thing! _A year!_ I was looking through one of my folders and I found the story, saw I had chapter three partly written. I can't remember what I had wrote, about this, so I went back and reread bits and pieces. Read the reviews. Then I read what I had for chapter three and jumped in from there. I need to go back and read a bit more thoroughly. Jot down notes so I don't _forget shit_ when it comes to this and _any_ of my stories.

I've had a bit of a lapse in writing. I love reading fanfics but writing them hasn't been easy. I'm so absentminded, these days.

I intend to keep working on all the stories I have, though I have no idea how long it'll take to finish _any_ of them. I tackle too many things at once, truly. I'm bloody insane, in a way. However, I do enjoy writing and I have plenty of time on my hands during the week to write. I need to get back into my original stories, too. And I gotta make another painting or two. Maybe find a book to read.

Anyway, here's chapter three! Hope you all like it!

* * *

 **Chapter Three**

* * *

When Teddy roused himself from his sleep, Hadrian was pacing through the cramped attic.

The small child sat up and rubbed his eyes with the back of a thin hand, messy hair, shifting from a light brown to black and white and grey, curling around his face. One strand clung to his cheek and mouth, damp with drool. Hadrian wondered if he looked that absent-minded when he was a kid, when he was once, long ago, called into the world of dreams by the Sandman's arcane power. The verdant-eyed youth couldn't remember what it was like to be able to sleep, to dream, oblivious, to the rest of the world.

Teddy blinked when he looked up at Hadrian, green irises bright. Hadrian knelt so they were face-to-face, a smile spreading as he asked the young boy, "Are you awake yet, Teddy? Loki's out getting you some breakfast. Do you think you can eat yet?"

"Where's Zeph'ra?"

Hadrian grinned. "She's our lookout. No one can sneak up on a wind spirit."

Though he was curious about what a child should eat. He hoped Loki knew, considering the wolf spirit was the one fetching the meal. Hadrian helped Teddy to his feet, hoping - _praying-_ the child didn't start crying or screaming once he was more alert. When the small boy yawned, Hadrian knew he had a bit of time on his side until the boy woke up fully.

A gentle breeze ruffled their hair, and Hadrian smiled. Teddy's eyes were wide in seconds, small hands darting to his head. A low laugh escaped Hadrian as he watched the child look around the room, curious eyes searching for a possible source. When he found nothing, Teddy pouted.

"Come on," Hadrian offered his hand to the boy, grinning when the child took the offered limb. He pulled them through the window, guiding them over the rooftop as the streets below filled with sleepy people heading off to work. Teddy pressed close to his legs, small hands gripping the back of his shirt. Hadrian scooped the child off his feet, tucking him close to his chest, as he said, "We should find someplace quiet to eat. I don't know about you, Teddy, but eating in an _attic_ doesn't sound all that fun to me."

"Na-uh," the little boy reached up and tugged on the white ends of Hadrian's hair, eyes wide and curious in a way only children could pull off. Amber eyes regarded him with guarded curiosity, thin lips curling into a fanged smile that caught Hadrian by surprise. The winter spirit didn't hesitate to pull one lip back, probing at the small incisor. Teddy giggled. "Hungry, 'arry. I want food _now."_

 _'What do kids eat, anyway?'_ Hadrian nodded, absently, and turned to eye the vast expanse of the city below. Some of the shopkeepers were opening their stores, though he didn't think any of them was a place he could get food. He leapt across the street, landing on an old, worn chimney. He pivoted on one foot, swinging about with a laughing child in his arms, and leaped into the sky. _'Maybe I could find some fruit or something. Milk? Is an apple and milk a good breakfast?'_

Loki was a distant impression, away from the city in the forest. Maybe there was food out in the woods and hills. Mushrooms were good sources of nutrition. They tasted meaty. Was a _mushroom_ a good part of a meal for a child? Hadrian twirled in the sky over the sleepy expanse of stone buildings below, curious if this place _was_ a city or just a really, _really_ large town. Then he spotted something of interest, a shop that smelled of baked goods. Landing in the alleyway behind the shop, Hadrian set Teddy on the ground and said, "Something smell's good, huh?"

"Donuts!" Teddy was grinning, bouncing on his heels, and then he ran a circle around Hadrian's legs. The winter spirit twisted, attempting to keep the boy in his line of sight. Donuts, Teddy had said. Was that what he was smelling? He sniffed the air, taking in the scent with a wide smile. It certainly _smelled_ good enough to eat. Hadrian caught the boy by his shoulders, crouching to stare him in the eye. Teddy was still, then, voice lower as he asked, "No donuts?"

"I'll get you a donut, but you have to promise me something, Teddy. Understand?" Teddy nodded, hope shining in amber eyes. Hadrian ushered him closer to the wall, behind a large stack of empty crates as he said, "I need you to stay _right here_ until I get back. Stay out of sight. Don't talk to anyone that isn't Loki or me. Understand?"

"Okay," Teddy sat on the stone ground, thin arms wrapping around his knees, and Hadrian senses Zephera in the air around them. As Hadrian stood, the child grabbed his hand. "Come back soon?"

"I'll be back before you know it," Hadrian carded his fingers through the boy's hair, smiling.

He left, after that. He darted down the alleyway, following his nose. He knew Teddy would be alright with his wind spirit looking after him, knew Loki was surely making his way back to them. Hadrian found the back door to the shop in question, propped open and golden light shining from within. It was easy getting inside, easy to drift from one cool shadow to the next without the men and women working noticing him.

Until one of them _did_ notice him. A woman looked up from the donuts she had placed on the counter, all golden and warm and _Teddy's food,_ and then they locked eyes. Hadrian had a donut in each hand, head cocked to the side as this human woman's eyes widened in shock. Then there was anger, her hand coming out and demanding the donut as she said, "Hand those back, boy. You have to _pay_ for these!"

Hadrian looked at the circle goodies in his hands and then at the woman. "Nope."

He darted backward with a laugh as she came around the counter. When she brandished a fancy stick that shot a red light at him, Hadrian yelped and ducked behind a metal counter. When she came at him, he slammed a barefoot on the ground and watched, delighted, as the floor froze and snaked across the room. The woman slipped, falling on the floor with a sharp cry, and Hadrian was out the door with a few extra donuts. He was out the front door, into the actual shop, where a group of people stared.

Landing on the counter, arms resting over his knees, Hadrian blinked. "Morning, folks. Lovely time for a fresh donut, don't you think? No? Well, I'll just be going."

"Stop him! Thief!"

Hadrian leapt off the counter, laughing as another red light shot past him. He landed between two men, both adorned in heavy black cloaks with silver lining, and dunked under another pretty light he knew wasn't pretty if it hit him. Could it hit him? He paused, letting one spell smash into his chest, and stumbled back a feet steps. The woman stared at him, jaw dropped, as Hadrian shook himself off.

"That _hurt,"_ Hadrian admonished her, and then dunked under another, bright ray of light. When a strong hand grabbed his arm, Hadrian's gaze snapped up to see cold, gray eyes peering down at him. A cane was behind his legs, hard and unforgiving as the other man, long black hair and emotionless eyes, stared him down. Hadrian looked between them, then looked at the seething woman, and then grinned. "I'm sorry about this, lady and gents, but I _really_ got to go. Hunger to stop and all that."

He twisted, one foot sweeping a circle across the ground. Ice spread, delicate twirls and loops of deadly ground that had both men losing their balance. The one holding onto him didn't let go even as one leg shot to the side. The black-haired man fell on his backside, cursing as he struggled to climb to his feet as Hadrian twisted elegantly across the freezing ground. His fair-haired attachment yanked him closer, and Hadrian kicked him in the gut. The man didn't let go. Surprising.

"No need to get clingy, sir!" Hadrian twisted them both it a quick spiral, snapping into a hard turn that forced the man to let go. The fair-haired man slid over the floor, arms pinwheeling as he tried to get his balance. He didn't get it fast enough, given he connected with the wall as Hadrian darted out of the shop and around the corner. The winter spirit was smiling widely when he spotted Loki and Teddy. He waved a donut, yelling, "Time to run, boys! We have company!"

A sharp gust of wind had Teddy flipping onto Loki's back with a startled scream. Then they were running, the child grabbing the back of Loki's neck as the wolf in question snarled, _'How is it that you managed to catch more attention here than in the forest, Hadrian? And for what? Baked, glazed bread!'_

"Can we talk about this later!" Hadrian and Loki bounded into another street, startled people yelling as they barreled through their clustered bodies. Hadrian spread ice wherever he touched, laughing happily as people slipped and staggered and swung their arms out to keep their balance. Behind him, he heard two men shouting for everyone to get out of the way. Then the lady's shrill screams, anger present in each unpleasant note, reached him as Hadrian yelled, "Loki, they're catching up!"

 _'Whose fault is that?'_ Loki bounded to the side, all four feet meeting the side of a wall and then he was flinging himself up onto the roofs. Hadrian followed with ease, landing lightly as a bright, red light shot over his shoulder followed by, "Get back here, boy!"

Who knew feeding a child could turn into such a chore?

There was a loud cracking noise, followed by a rush of energy. Hadrian chanced a glance over his shoulder to see both men appearing on the rooftop, their expressions thunderous. The fair-haired one didn't have his cane anymore, but he did have a stick with a snake-face handle. Curious, that little thing. Hadrian glanced down at Loki as they raced and leapt from rooftop to rooftop, the two men hot on their heels.

"Persistent, aren't they?"

 _'Over baked bread, no less,'_ Loki leapt off the edge of the roof, dropping rapidly into the shadows. Hadrian hopped off after him, his arms wrapping around Teddy before he flew down the alleyway and cut a hard turn. He knew Loki was circling back, intent on deterring the two men as Hadrian laughed. _'Be quick. There are others after you. None of them are pleased.'_

Hadrian wasn't surprised. Adults didn't know how to have fun.

Teddy seemed to agree for he was giggling, and his cheeks were pink, his hair wild and windswept. The winter spirit glided through the twisting alleyways, easily making his way through the sharp turns with boisterous laughter. As he spun, skating backward on the ice spreading out under him, the emerald-eyed youth watched the dark corridor of stone turn to ice.

Anyone following after Loki was would have one nasty surprise.

With a sharp intake of breath, the wight slowed to a stop and adjusted his grip on the child in his arms who was still giggling. They were far away from the others who had been chasing them, and Hadrian ran a finger over Teddy's eyes. He watched, happy, as thin tendrils of ice drew sweeping patterns over the child's frail skin. They kept spreading until a shimmering, frost-mask adorned the boy's upper face.

Teddy giggled, blinking owlishly up at him. "That was fun!"

"That's cause I like _having_ fun," Hadrian grinned, reaching for the wall so Teddy could see curling, fancy tendrils of ice coat the stones. The child leaned forward, reaching out to touch the cold tendrils of magic, and then giggled once again. Hadrian lifted the boy up and set him on his shoulders, happy to rest his hands on the boy's knees as he handed him the donut he'd been carrying. "Having fun, pranking innocent bystanders, causing a bit of chaos and mayhem– it's all part of what I do! Though I do need to work on the entire 'everyone seeing me' thing. Not cool."

 _'You'll need to will yourself unseen to the rest of them,'_ Loki came forward from the shadows, inky form glowing in the shadows. Hadrian tilted his head to the side, glancing down at the large wolfen creature, and then grinned. Loki snorted. _'Wipe that look from your face, Hadrian. You've done enough for a day.'_

"It's _morning,_ Loki," Hadrian pointed out as he took a bite from his own donut, chewing the sweet delicacy without really tasting it. When was the last time he had eaten? A few days? A few weeks? Months? Blinking, he turned his gaze to his companion as he asked, "When was the last time I ate?"

 _'When we were in Egypt,'_ Loki replied easily.

Hadrian let his mind trace back the path they've walked. They were in Europe, now. They crossed the ocean from American (and turns out his knowledge on what's an island and what isn't wasn't as good as he had originally thought – whoever told him Poland was an island was a _liar),_ before America was Canada and Alaska…they've been all over, really. Then he recalled the desert and the golden sands, the mirage which played for heat. Then he blinked.

Looking at Loki, Hadrian said, "We were in Egypt _two years ago."_

On his shoulders, Teddy started to choke. Before Hadrian could say anything, or do anything, the boy cleared his throat and asked, "Your last meal was two years ago?"

Hadrian grinned, reaching into the air and feeling it thrum. His staff materialized, the pesky thing having a habit of vanishing on him (he had a feeling Zephera was behind that), and he spoke as his fingers curled around the blackened wood, "Seems that way, yeah. I don't really _need_ to eat, Teddy. Or sleep."

The child seemed horrified, so Hadrian added, "It's okay, though! Means more food for you!"

Teddy shifted, then pointed at his staff. "What's that?"

Hadrian brought it closer, mindful of the iced-diamond blade, and watched, grinning, as the child placed tan hands on the ancient wood as Hadrian said, "This is my staff. It's been with me for a long time. Zephera likes to steal it, though."

"That's not nice, Zeph'ra!"

The little wind spirit materialized, small hands cupped over her mouth as she giggled. She zipped around them as Loki nudged Hadrian's hand with his snout. The winter spirit turned his hand over, offering a sticky palm to the wolf who, without hesitation, began to lick his hand clean.

"Did you find anything to eat, Loki?"

 _'Some, though nothing that would fill a child's stomach,'_ the great wolf snorted, pawing at the ground as he bounded ahead of them. Hadrian swung Teddy up onto his shoulder's, grinning as Loki added, _'I still think you should have left the small human. It will cause problems for us.'_

"We've been _over this,_ Loki!"

 _'I am aware of that.'_

Hadrian kept one hand on Teddy's knee, rubbing at his face with the other. "I promised his ma, Loki."

Loki didn't respond to that, the group falling into a hushed quiet as Teddy ate his donuts. As they walked, Hadrian's mind shifted back to the bakery and the two men who had chased after him. Their black robes outlined in silver, their stern expressions. Their magic. They had seen him, in a way others couldn't.

And the spell had connected, a burst of energy that had hurt when it made contact.

His gaze shifted to his long-time companion, questions swirling in his mind. Questions he wasn't sure he knew how to ask, not when the Mona was absent from the sky and when a small little boy giggled and sang on his shoulders. When Teddy leaned over his head, offering a bite of donut, Hadrian took it without question. While he didn't need to eat, and he couldn't really taste much, it was comforting.

It pushed back the flickers of _darkness_ in his mind, the black waters of a distant nightmare stirring.

A dream he remembered, but did not want to grasp.

Always there, always waiting.


End file.
